Moot Court robbed in Miami

(Left to right) The four students who attended the national competition are Lidia Mowad, Jordan Bernstein, Rhiannon Herbert and Katherine Berger. Photo courtesy of Michael Esler.

The Ohio Wesleyan Moot Court teams did not expect great success at nationals, and they certainly did not expect to get robbed on their last day of travel.

OWU sent two teams to the national Moot Court competition in Miami, Fla. The first team consisted of seniors Jordan Bernstein and Lidia Mowad. Juniors Rhiannon Herbert and Katherine Berger made up the second team. Each pair went far in the competition, and according to Mowad and Berger, they were surprised at their success.

“No, I did not expect it,” said Mowad. “But the best part was that the founder of the Moot Court Association of America judged us and gave us the winning ballot. So really, how much better can we do?”

On the last day of their trip, both teams went on an airboat tour.

The boat went through “the Florida Everglades looking at alligators,” said Herbert.
“We left everything in the car because we did not want to bring any valuables on the boat.”

When the group arrived back at the car, two purses, a backpack and a briefcase were missing. All of the luggage for their flight was still in the car.

“When I noticed what was taken from the car it was just a moment of sheer panic,” said Berger. “I just thought ‘there is no way,’ I’ve heard about this happening to people, but I never expected it would ever happen to me.”

In many of the stolen bags were wallets with credit cards and IDs. This made boarding the return flight difficult. But after going through a Transportation Security Administration background check, they were able to fly home.

“I kissed the ground in Ohio when I got off the plane,” said Berger.

Everyone that lost property in the robbery had cancelled credit cards. Some even wiped their cell phones remotely with software. As for the rest of their personal property, they are responsible for its replacement.